Army To Fight Boko Haram With Dogs - COAS
KADUNA, April 11, (THEWILL) - The Nigerian Army is revving up its fight against the recalcitrant Boko Haram Islamist sect by specially schooling its men in the use of military-trained dogs, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika has said. He also disclosed that the Army would inaugurate 14 speed boats for efficient quelling of militancy in the Niger Delta.
Ijejirika was speaking in Kaduna State at a workshop on Enhancing Military Professionalism in the Nigerian Army to Meet Contemporary Challenges, organised by the One Division of the Army.
“I’m glad to inform you that our second batch of trainees on the use of dogs in the fight against terrorism has just completed its training and will soon be launched to join you to further make your work easier,” he said.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of the military’s battle against the sect, which has been unrelenting in its violence against government, formal institutions and innocent civilians, Ihejiraka implored officers of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) who have been primarily saddled with the responsibility phasing out the fundamentalist group to be alive to their duties and consider themselves in a perpetual war with the sect.
“All soldiers must be combat-ready at all times. It is unacceptable for members of the Boko Haram sect to engage troops at checkpoints without much resistance,” he charged. “It is high time you and your men assumed a war mood to be able to deal with the current challenges. Otherwise, how do you explain that troops at checkpoint duty would be attacked and the sect sometimes gets away with it? This is an area you must work on.”
He warned that the soldiers must be in the field at every available opportunity, either gathering intelligence information or conducting an operation. “You must be doing any of the two at any point in time. If your area is too quiet, you have a reason to get worried,” he said.
He also had some word for commanding officers, whom he urged to be more innovative in their approach of tackling crime across the country.
“We believe that the performance of your troops is a direct reflection of the qualities of their commanding officers,” he observed. “That is why you are assembled here for the next four days to brainstorm on matters of service interest in order to improve and sharpen your professional skills.”